Jabs Gym doubles its space in Eastern Market

Jabs Gym has doubled the size of its fitness center in Eastern Market after extending its lease to include the 2,200-square-foot second floor. The new level will offer cross fit training to complement the boxing gym on the third floor when it opens Oct. 1.

The boxing center that opened its second location in Detroit in 2015 has invested $100,000 to add a new floor and cross training equipment to serve its growing membership.

Jabs Gym expanded its presence in Eastern Market and there's so much room for more activities.

The boxing gym, which opened its second location there in 2015, has added the second floor and extended its lease to double the size of the fitness center. While the third floor of Jabs will maintain its current setting as a boxing and kickboxing venue, guests can find additional exercises when the lower level opens for training Oct. 1.

"One of the biggest requests we were getting is [visitors] wanted more," co-owner David Tessler said. Many "have a membership here, but many are also going to Planet Fitness and elsewhere for other workouts."

To complement boxing and capture those clients, Jabs Gym Eastern Market LLC is dedicating the 2,200-square-foot second floor to cross training. There, gym goers can focus on weight, cardio, strength and conditioning and more diverse trainings, Tessler said. The floor will be outfitted with custom red turf and weighted sleds, squat racks and total resistance exercise, among other workouts.

About $100,000 was invested in the updates by Tessler and his squad of co-owners, Armond Harris and professional boxer Willie Fortune. Tessler's Recraft LLC of Birmingham handled design work, which asked for cosmetic work, and received build-out help from the landlord.

"We're doing more to complement the boxing with weight training, boot camps and yoga," Tessler said. "We want to become a one-stop shop for people downtown."

Jabs Gym expects to call 2501 Russell St., Detroit home until 2025. The ownership group tacked on an additional five years with options to the original lease that was set to expire in 2020. The four-story building, which includes Beyond Juicery + Eatery and Detroit vs. Everybody LLC on the lower levels, is owned by Southfield-based Russell Street Investments LLC.

With the new space, Jabs looks to double its staff at the Eastern Market gym to 20 employees. The gym, which is open to the public, has roughly 150 members, which Tessler hopes will grow to 500. He estimates about 2,000 visits per month and expects that number to expand to more than 5,000 over time.

The gym is popular among the 25-35 year-old-age group. Among the membership, 77 percent of its base is women, while more than 80 percent live in Detroit, Tessler said.

Tessler is expecting as much as $400,000 in revenue in 2018. He projects revenue to reach $750,000 in 2019.

The Eastern Market gym plans for a soft opening of the second floor in mid-September prior to its grand opening on Oct. 1.

The first Jabs Gym opened in Birmingham in 2013 under Fortune and Tessler, who sold his stake in that site to his partner more than a year ago.